You’ve heard it a million times, but good parenting is something many parents want to find. It’s not just something you read in a parenting book or follow on social media; it’s something you can actually see and feel. Good parenting means being consistent, loving, supportive, and flexible. You don’t have to be an expert on parenting to know that by raising happy children, their parents are also raising good people. The qualities of good parenting aren’t necessarily easy to spot; they take work and effort. But good parents do exist and what we do know for sure is that it isn’t hard, though maybe at times challenging.
Table of Contents
What Does Good Parenting Look Like?
Parents with the right attitude can raise happy, healthy children. There are many ways to do this, and the quality of parenting can vary greatly based on the individual child. Some kids are naturally extroverted, while others are more extroverted loners. Some kids are naturally quiet while others are chatterboxes. Good parenting is recognizing and rewarding these foibles while still maintaining a consistent approach. The key to good parenting is understanding your child’s needs and wants. Knowing your child’s personality and preferences can help you create a consistent parenting strategy. Do this by learning your child’s triggers, managing your own stress, and understanding your child’s preferences for certain foods. Knowing this information can help you create healthier meals, snacks, and a positive eating environment in your home. The following tips will help you become a good parent. Also, Read: Best Time to Study : A Parent’s Guide
Helping Them See the Benefits of Making a Change
As a parent, it’s important to help your children see the benefits of making changes. This may seem obvious, but many parents don’t realize how important it is to help their kids see the benefits of staying put. This includes helping them understand why they should stick with the plan they’ve created. Kids who feel confident enough to make changes on their own know they can make any decision with support. This helps them feel secure and safe while avoiding feeling as if they have to make a mistake in order to “badly” lose. If you find it challenging to change your child’s eating habits, you can also ask them what they enjoy doing. Parents who know what their kids like to do can create a healthy eating environment at home. This can help your child feel comfortable eating healthy foods.
Repressing your Own Anxieties
As a parent, it’s important to repress your own anxieties when it comes to your child’s eating habits. If you have a particular phobia or anxiety disorder, it’s important to remember that you and your child are both in this together. When you’re having a “bad” day and you’re worried about your child “ruining” your day, take a deep breath and focus on your breathing. You’re not the parent who has to “eat well” for the rest of their life. You have a family history of eating disorders, you’re a parent, you have a work-life balance that includes eating healthy, and you have a child who is on the cusp of being able to make healthy choices for themselves.
Consistency: Making Sure you Do the Same Things Every Day
You may have heard it before, but consistency is something every parent needs. It could be something as simple as going to the park with your child every day or doing their chore at a certain time every day. Make sure to set a regular routine that your child can easily fall into. If your child is a “yeller,” try to avoid using strong language. This might help them feel less frustration if they’re always “yelling.” Having a routine that they enjoy can make a huge difference in your child’s eating habits. If possible, try to make your own routine before you start parenting. This way, you’ll be able to see what works and what doesn’t. Also, Read: Child Development Stages: Explained
Flexibility: Being Able to Adapt to Changes in Their Schedules
It’s important to remember that even the best parents experience moments of stress or difficulty with parenting. This is normal and expected. If a moment ever arises where you aren’t sure whether you can handle another moment of stress, consider bringing in a professional. No parent is a super parent. Even the best of us make mistakes, and we need support when we need it. As a parent, it’s important to remember that you and your child are working together. This means you need to be flexible and have the ability to adapt to changes in your child’s life. This may include adjusting your eating habits when your child switches schools or takes a summer break. This may also include making accommodations when it comes to your child’s medical history, allergies, or dietary requirements.
Supportive: Being There for Them and Not Just Saying “it’s Alright”
It’s easy to think of your friends as family, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them all the time. Being there for your friends as a parent is just as important as being there for your family. You need to be there for your friends when they’re sick, in need of support, or dealing with a tough situation. You can’t be distant, but you also can’t be “on” all the time either. This means being there when you can be there, but not being there when you can’t. While most parents are able to switch off the “on” button when they’re involved in a child’s life, there are times when you need to face down your anxiety and be there for your friend. This means being there when they need you, not just when you “should be there”
The qualities of good parenting are not an easy feat to accomplish. But when you think about it, it’s not too difficult to see that being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. Parents who have the right attitude, help their children to see the benefits of staying put, and repress their own anxieties can successfully raise happy, healthy children.
